R. Kelly’s Daughter Is Transgender

Jaya Kelly — the youngest of the R&B legend’s two daughters with reality star Drea Kelly — has come out as transgender. Jaya, who has adopted the moniker Jay, revealed that he is transitioning from female to male, a la Chaz Bono.

Jay, 14, has identified as male since age six, but has only come out publicly in a series of postings to social media over the past week. Drea, one of the stars of the VH1 docu-series Hollywood Exes, has been overwhelmingly supportive of her son’s transition.

Jay wrote on his Ask.fm page this month:

“[My mom] was like, ‘Baby, you know I love you if you were bi, gay, [lesbian], you name it and I would still love you so much.’ She was very proud of me, I was like, ‘Thank you mom for accepting the fact that I’m a transgender. And same with my sister, she told me that she was proud of me, and respects me by calling me handsome and calling me her little brother now, and I love her for that, so you know it was great for me.”

Now that his gender identity is out in the open, Jay admitted:

“I believe I am a boy and want surgery and the medication to help me be who I was supposed to be.”